Athletic shoe with base inserts



May 6, 1969 G. E. HILBURN, JR 3,442,033

ATHLETIC SHOE WITH BASE INSERTS Filed Jan. 16, 1967 TL Vl United States Patent Oce 3,442,033 ATHLETIC SHOE WITH BASE INSERTS Glenn E. Hilburn, Jr., Alexandria, Va. (46716 Crawford St., #23, Fremont, Calif. 94538) Filed Jan. 16, 1967, Ser. No. 609,498 Int. Cl. A43b 5/00; A43c 15/02, 15/04 ABSTRACT F THE DISCLGSURE An athletic shoe having a base member with a plurality of recesses adapted to receive auxiliary base inserts. The auxiliary base inserts are formed with different kinds of outer surfaces to permit various uses of the combination shoe.

Generally, adults as well as youngsters who engage in athletic activities are required to purchase a separate pair of shoes for each sport in which they participate. This can prove to be quite expensive and would appear to be wasteful since the only reason for the purchase of different shoes is to gain the use of dilferent kinds of cleats or spikes which are required in order to be properly equipped for the different sports,

The necessity of purchasing separate shoes for baseball and football is especially wasteful. The basic shoe is essentially the same for both sports with the primary difference being in the type of cleats or spikes used. Generally, a separate pair of shoes is purchased for each sport although the sports are played at dilferent times of the year. In the case of children whose feet are still growin-g, this necessitates a purchase of a baseball shoe and a football shoe practically every year.

In the case of golfers who do not play too often, the purchase of a pair of gol-f shoes required for the few times they might play during the year becomes an extravagent expense since the shoes cannot be used for any other purpose.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an athletic shoe which is adaptable for more than one type of use.`

Another object of this invention is to provide an athletic shoe in which the cleat or spike portion of the shoe can be changed to permit use of the shoe for another activity.

A further object of this invention is to provide an athletic shoe in which the character of the shoe can be changed easily and at the will of the user.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specication when considered in the light of the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the shoe with two sets of alternative auxiliary base inserts shown prior to their being assembled;

FIG. 2 is a transverse Vertic-a-l section taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. l looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a transverse section taken along the line 3 3 of FIG. l looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 4 shows another set of auxiliary base inserts for use on a shoe constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail where like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures, the reference numeral indicates generally a combination shoe constructed in accord-ance with the invention.

The combination shoe 10 of FIG. l comprises a shoe body 12, a base 14, and auxiliary base insert plates 16, 16' and 18, 18. As shown, this combination shoe is adapted to be used for baseball or football depending on the particular auxiliary base inserts selected.

3,442,033 Patented May 6, 1969 The base 14 of combination shoe 10 which is preferably molded from plastic or h-ard rubber is suitably attached to the shoe body 12 by conventional means (not shown) and includes a heel portion 20 and a sole portion 2/2. A pair of substantially duplicate recesses 24 are provided on the base 14 to receive the auxiliary base inserts. As shown in FIG. 1, a recess 24 is provided in heel portion 20 and in sole portion 22. The recesses 24 are preferably of triangular shape although other shapes such as square, rectangular or circular may be utilized. As shown in FIG. 1 the triangular shape is preferably equilatera-l with equal length sides 26 and truncated apices 28. Threaded openings 30 are provided to receive screws 32 used to assemble the auxiliary base inserts onto base 14. Along each side 26 there is provided a groove 34 which as seen best in FIG. 2 is for-med part in recess opening 24 and part in trhe surrounding portion of base 14 there by forming a tapered portion 36 sur-rounding the groove 34. The groove 34 is preferably formed at a forty-five degree angle although other angles may be readily used.

The auxiliary base inserts 16, 16', 18, 18', which are preferably made of the same material as base 14 are of triangular shape to fit into recesses 24. They have equal length sides 38 with truncated apices 40. Along each side 38 there is extended a flange 42 at an angle corresponding to the angle of groove 34 to provide a smooth outer surface which will tightly tit against the tapered portion 3'6 of base 14. Countersunk screw openings 44 are provided at the apices of the auxiliary base inserts. The base insert-s 1'6, 1'6 are provided with spikes 46 of the type commonly used on baseball shoes and the base inserts 18, 18 are provided with spike-s 48 of the type commonly used on football shoes. As seen best in FIG, 3, the spikes or cleats on the sole plates are preferably molded with the plates although separate replaceable spikes or cleats can be utilized.

Depending on the sport to be played by the user, the proper set of auxiliary base inserts will be placed in recesses 24 with flanges 42 being inserted into grooves 34. By forming each flange 42 separate from each other the necessary amount of flexibility is provided to assure a perfect alignment of each base insert on base 14. Screws 32 are then placed into openings 44 and 30 and tightened. The screws 32 are also preferably made of hard rubber or plastic and are of conventional design although some type of locking screw or washer may be utilized to prevent possible loosening of the screws 32. Rotation and misalignment of the inserts with respect to the base 14 is prevented by the non-circular shape of the inserts as well as the anges 42 within the groove 34.

In FIG. 4 there is shown a set of auxiliary base inserts that may be used by a golfer. Auxiliary base inserts 50, 50', are made with golf spikes thereon while base inserts 52, 52', are of the same surface as the shoe base 14. By interchanging the base inserts, a golfer can use the same shoe for playing golf with inserts 50, S0', as Well as before and after the game with base inserts 52, 52.

As shown in FIG. 1, the base 14 is molded with a heel portion 20 not substantially higher than the sole portion 22 in keeping with present designs of baseball and football shoes. However, it will be obvious that heel portion 20 may be raised as in the case of a shoeI used for golf and walking.

Although there has been shown and described base inserts for use 'with specific sports, it will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that numerous other surfaces may be formed on the base inserts to permit the combination shoe to be used for a multitude of purposes.

What is claimed is:

1. An athletic shoe adapted to be us-ed for a plurality of activities, comprising: a shoe body, a base portion connected to said shoe body, said base portion including a a sole section and a heel section, said sole section and said heel section each having a single recess therein, said recesses being of substantially similar shape, a set of inserts adapted to be received in said recesses, said set of inserts being selected from a plurality of sets of inserts having different ground engaging surfaces thereon where- -by the use of said athletic shoe may be varied depending on the particular set of inserts placed in said recesses, said inserts including a flat plate section to substantially ll said recesses, said flat plate sections covering a large portion of the sole and heel sections particularly in the transverse dimension to provide sufficient ground engaging surfaces for said athletic shoe, and means for attaching said inserts to said base portion.

2. The athletic shoe of claim 1, wherein in one set of inserts the outer surface of each insert flat plate section includes a plurality of ground engaging projections.

3. The athletic shoe of claim 1, wherein in one set of inserts the outer surface of each insert hat plate section is substantially similar to the base portion surface.

4. The athletic shoe of claim 1, wherein grooves are provided along the periphery of said recesses, said inserts including means extending from said flat plate section for entering said grooves.

5. An athletic shoe adapted to be used for a plurality of activities, comprising: a shoeI body, a base portion attached to said shoe body, said base portion having at least one recess, an insert adapted to be received in said recess, means for attaching said insert to Ysaid base portion, said base portion including a sole section and a heel section, said sole Section and said heel section each having a recess of similar shape, said insert including a substantially flat section, said recess being of a depth substantially equal to said flat section, said recesses having grooves provided along a portion of their periphery, said inserts including means extending from said at section for entering said grooves, said recesses and inserts being of triangular shape with substantially flattened apices, said grooves being formed along the ltriangular sides of said recesses.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,827,514 10/1931 Golden 36--59 3,054,197 9/1962 Morgan et al. 36-59 668,274 2/ 1901 Woodward.

1,232,896 7/1917 ClilOrd.

2,118,113 5/1938 Schemel 36-59 2,122,867 7/1938 Marziani 36-59 2,895,235 7/1959 Melchiana 36-59 PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner.

U.S. C1. X.R. 

